Element Education
Book Club
Spring Book Club
Welcome to Element Education’s Spring Book Club. This page is your weekly hub for meeting access and reading assignments.
This season, we’re reading Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans by Michaeleen Doucleff.
Join Our Meeting
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
Virtual meetings on Microsoft Teams
Our book club meets virtually on Microsoft Teams. Click the Main Meeting Room link at the scheduled time to join. No Microsoft account is required.
Reading Schedule
- April 15 — Prologue & Section 1 (Pages 1–46)
- April 22 — Section 2 (Pages 49–125)
- April 29 — Section 3 (Pages 129–227)
- May 6 — Section 4 (Pages 232–290)
- May 20 — Section 5 & Epilogue (Pages 294–309)
Guiding Questions for Book Club
-
What parenting “rules” or beliefs do you follow without questioning?
Where did these rules come from? Your own parents? Society? Media?
How do these rules make you feel?
Which rules feel outdated or unhelpful for your family?
-
Read Section 2: Lessons From Hunter-Gatherer Societies
Compare a Day in Your Child’s Life to a Hunter-Gatherer Child’s
How much time does your child spend with multiple caregivers or peers?
How much freedom does your child have for self-directed play?
How much physical contact or closeness does your child experience with caregivers?
What opportunities does your child have to contribute to the community or family?
How are emotions expressed and handled?
Guiding questions for Session 2
· What communal child-rearing practices could you realistically reclaim for your family?
· How might increasing physical closeness or emotional openness improve your relationships?
· How can you create space for your child to have autonomy and explore within modern constraints?
· What role could extended family or community members play in your child’s upbringing?